I’ve battled anxiety for as long as I can remember.

Sometimes it shows up loud—like a racing heart, a clenched jaw, a full-blown panic attack when everything feels out of control.

Other times, it’s quiet—a simmering undercurrent of tension in my chest or the mental loop whispering, “You’re behind. You’re failing. You have to do more.”

But somewhere along the way, I realized something: Anxiety is often my soul’s way of waving a white flag.

It’s not always a sign that I’m broken. Sometimes, it’s a signal that I’ve been running too hard for too long.

It’s my inner spirit crying out: “I need stillness. I need peace. I need Jesus.”

The World Moves Fast—But You Don’t Have To

We live in a culture that celebrates hustle and busyness, that claps for overcommitment and calls rest “lazy.”

So when we feel anxious or burnt out, we assume we’re the problem. That if we could just try harder or plan better, we’d feel peace.

But friend, peace isn’t something we achieve by doing more. It’s something we receive by drawing near.

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

— Psalm 46:10

That verse isn’t only a cute coffee mug quote. It’s an invitation. To stop. To breathe. To anchor your soul in something stronger than the chaos.

What’s Actually Beneath the Anxiety?

When anxiety spikes in my life, it’s usually because I’m holding something too tightly:

– Control

– Expectations

– People’s opinions

– My plans for the future

It’s a form of striving. And striving disconnects me from God’s pace.

It convinces me that I need to hustle to hold it all together.But that’s not our job.

We are held by the One who holds the world.

Anchored in God’s Presence.

When anxiety rises, I’m learning to see it as a holy signal. A sacred nudge that says: “Pause here. Be with Me.”

Stillness is the antidote to soul-anxiety—not just a break in your schedule, but a posture of the heart.

Here’s how I anchor my anxious heart back to peace:

1. Breathe + Name It

When anxiety rises, I pause. Even for 30 seconds. I take a deep breath and name what I’m carrying.

“God, I feel overwhelmed because…”

“God, I’m scared of…”

“God, I don’t know what to do about…”

And then I exhale and say,

“But I trust You with it.”

2. Speak Truth Over the Spiral

“I am not alone.”

“I am fully known and fully loved.”

“God is my refuge and strength.”

“He goes before me.”

These aren’t just affirmations. They’re anchors.

The more I speak them, the more they steady me.

3. Pursue Stillness, Even in Small Moments

Sometimes I get 15 minutes to sit outside with my Bible and coffee.

Sometimes I get 1 minute in my car before the next pickup.

But I take what I can get—and I give that moment to God.

Even a few quiet breaths can anchor your heart back to Him.

4. Let Anxiety Drive You to Jesus

Instead of letting anxiety spiral me into self-reliance, I try to let it push me into surrender.

Lord, I can’t carry this.

But You can.

Help me trust You here.

Anchored Doesn’t Mean Unshaken

I still have anxious moments. Still get overwhelmed. Still forget to pause and spiral instead.

But what I’ve learned is this: Being anchored in Jesus doesn’t mean we’ll never feel anxious. It means we have a place to go when we do.

A place of stillness. A place of truth. A place where we can stop performing and just be—fully known, fully loved.

That place? It’s always open. We just have to pause long enough to enter it.

Final Thought

If you feel anxious right now, can I tell you something?

You’re not weak. You’re not a failure. You’re not too much.

You’re just tired. And that’s okay.

Let your anxiety lead you—not into more striving—but into the stillness of God’s presence.